Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Sanya Cost of Living Comparison Between Beijing (Pekin) and Sanya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $764 in Sanya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,761 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,176 in Sanya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,463 per month in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,589 in Sanya, rent included.

Beijing (Pekin) costs about 39% more than Sanya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Beijing (Pekin) and Sanya are more affordable than the global median – Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower, Sanya 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.15 ¥28.05

$2.42 ¥16.40

71.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥189

$21.29 ¥144

31.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.90

$5.72 ¥38.67

-7.17%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.57

$2.48 ¥16.75

22.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.44 ¥2.95

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.29 ¥1.97

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.91 ¥12.92

-40.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$1.98 ¥13.42

7.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.66

$1.84 ¥12.43

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.75

$1.37 ¥9.24

16.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$1.44 ¥9.75

-23.61%

Eggs

$1.65 ¥11.16

$1.69 ¥11.46

-2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥108

$17.45 ¥118

-8.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.76

$4.01 ¥27.10

-19.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ¥67.5

$10.06 ¥68.1

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.24

$2.13 ¥14.42

-0.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.76

$1.48 ¥10.01

7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.76

$1.92 ¥13.00

-9.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.11

$1.59 ¥10.76

-15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.79 ¥5.37

5.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.25

$0.79 ¥5.32

16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$0.47 ¥3.20

51.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$0.62 ¥4.22

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.32

$3.16 ¥21.40

9.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 ¥101

$7.33 ¥49.61

104.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$1.07 ¥7.21

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.01 ¥6.80

82.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ¥3.66

$0.27 ¥1.82

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.39 ¥212

$15.89 ¥108

97.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.50

$1.55 ¥10.51

19.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.41

$0.57 ¥3.87

-36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 ¥71.1

$6.83 ¥46.20

54.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.41

$1.17 ¥7.93

-5.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.2K ¥122.8K

$19.7K ¥133.3K

-7.89%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$15.4K ¥104.1K

$16.7K ¥112.9K

-7.83%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$52.7 ¥357

$83.0 ¥561

-36.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.97 ¥60.7

$9.75 ¥66.0

-8.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ¥85.4

$11.71 ¥79.2

7.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 ¥327

$41.99 ¥284

15.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.96 ¥122

$13.70 ¥92.7

31.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ¥55.3

$6.43 ¥43.51

27.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$668 ¥4,518

$342 ¥2,316

95.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K ¥162.9K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

44.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ¥413

$43.47 ¥294

40.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 ¥230

$30.31 ¥205

12.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥520

$47.99 ¥325

60.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ¥670

$74.5 ¥504

32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 ¥6,195

$281 ¥1,904

225.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥3,081

$189 ¥1,277

141.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 ¥12.9K

$598 ¥4,047

219.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ¥7,332

$364 ¥2,460

198.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.7K

$3,208 ¥21.7K

285.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,323 ¥42.8K

$1,748 ¥11.8K

261.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 ¥10.6K

$879 ¥5,947

78.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

5.05

-27.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Last update for Sanya: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $281 in Sanya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 78% higher in Beijing (Pekin), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) versus $21.00 in Sanya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $218 – making Sanya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Beijing (Pekin) vs Sanya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Beijing (Pekin) is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Beijing (Pekin) and $1,145 in Sanya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin) and $21.00 in Sanya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin) and $764 in Sanya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanya, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Beijing (Pekin) at $1,059. In Sanya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beijing (Pekin) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sanya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Beijing (Pekin) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.